International Religious Freedom: Toward a Model of Transatlantic Cooperation October 8, 2015

Religious Freedom Project BERKLEY CENTER for Religion, Peace & World Affairs GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY International Religious Freedom: Toward a Model of Transatlantic Cooperation October 8, 2015 In partnership with the Institute for Studies of Religion and the British Council About the Religious Freedom Project The Religious Freedom Project (RFP) at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs is the nation’s only university-based program devoted exclusively to the analysis of religious freedom, a basic human right restricted in many parts of the world. Under the leadership of Director Thomas Farr and Associate Director Timothy Shah, the RFP engages a team of international scholars to examine and debate the meaning and value of religious liberty; its importance for democracy; and its role in social and economic development, international diplomacy, and the struggle against violent religious extremism. The RFP began in 2011 with the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation. In 2014 that support continued, while the project also began a three-year partnership with Baylor University and its Institute for Studies of Religion under Director Byron Johnson. For more information about the RFP’s research, teaching, publications, conferences, and workshops, visit our website at http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/rfp. About the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University, created within the Office of the President in 2006, is dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of religion, ethics, and public life. Through research, teaching, and service, the center explores global challenges of democracy and human rights; economic and social development; international diplomacy; and interreligious understanding. Two premises guide the center’s work: that a deep examination of faith and values is critical to address these challenges, and that the open engagement of religious and cultural traditions with one another can promote peace. Acknowledgements This conference was hosted by the Religious Freedom Project and organized and co-sponsored by the following part- ners: British Council, the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, the Institute on Culture, Religion & World Affairs at Boston University, The Review of Faith & International Affairs, Center for Civil and Human Rights, University of Sussex, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and Birks Forum on the World’s Religions. The dialogue is also part of a semester-long exploration of the global future of governance, under the auspices of Georgetown University’s Global Futures Initiative. This publication was made possible through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. 2 BERKLEY CENTER FOR RELIGION, PEACE & WORLD AFFAIRS AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROJECT — OCTOBER 2015 Introduction Several European countries, the EU, and Canada have recently begun a more systematic treatment of international religious freedom in their foreign policies. The United States has done so since 1998 because of the passage that year of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). In theory, therefore, the potential exists for transatlantic cooperation in promoting religious freedom globally. However, differences among Western democracies are significant, both with respect to the meaning and value of religious freedom itself, and to the question of how to promote it as an aspect of foreign policy. This dialogue—the first in a year-long series on IRFA policy—aimed to identify these differences and find ways to accommodate or overcome them in the urgent task of advancing international religious freedom. This day-long event began with a keynote address on religion and modernity by renowned sociologist Peter Berger, followed by responses from Os Guinness and Walter Russell Mead. Then panel discussions featured leading voices from the academic and policy worlds, including Anne Leahy, Sue Breeze, Mustafa Akyol, Monica Toft, and Pasquale Ferrara. Speakers discussed the challenges and best practices for promoting religious freedom abroad; innovative ways to construct a united, transatlantic coalition; and the consequences of religious freedom, including its relationship to violence and extremism. The day concluded with a rousing speech by Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein, who spoke about the lessons other countries could draw from the American experience, as well as opportunities for improving the lives of religious minorities worldwide. This conference is a partnership of two major initiatives. The first is a year-long series of events on policy associated with the Interna- tional Religious Freedom Act, which will produce a revised edition of The Future of U.S. International Religious Freedom Policy. This series is sponsored by the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University (together with its partner, the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University), The Review of Faith & International Affairs at the Institute for Global Engagement, and the Institute on Culture, Religion & World Affairs at Boston University. The second is a “Bridging Voices” grant from the British Council, awarded to Dan Philpott of the Center for Civil and Human Rights of the University of Notre Dame and to Fabio Petito of the School of Global Studies of the University of Sussex, in partnership with the European University Institute and the University of Milan, to foster a transatlantic partnership on religious freedom. This is the second of two policy dialogues on the subject, the first having taken place at Wilton Park, United Kingdom in February 2015. Generously co-sponsoring the dialogues are the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (BYU) and McGill University’s Birks Forum on the World’s Religions. The conference was followed on October 9 by a close-door policy dialogue which focused on the impact of Western religious freedom policies as well as the state of religious freedom in various regions of the world. BERKLEY CENTER FOR RELIGION, PEACE & WORLD AFFAIRS AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROJECT — OCTOBER 2015 3 Program Welcome Thomas Farr, Religious Freedom Project Daniel Philpott, University of Notre Dame Keynote Address: Toward a New Paradigm on Religion and Modernity Panelist: Peter Berger, Boston University Moderator: Walter Russell Mead, Hudson Institute Respondent: Os Guinness, Author and Social Critic The Case for Religious Freedom Policy Moderator: Daniel Philpott, University of Notre Dame Panelists: Mustafa Akyol, Star and Hurriyet Daily News Allen Hertzke, University of Oklahoma Sofia Lemmetyinen, European Commission Keynote Conversation: Overcoming Differences Between Western Democracies in Developing a Common Religious Freedom Policy Moderator: Timothy Samuel Shah, Religious Freedom Project Panelists: Pasquale Annicchino, European University Institute Thomas Farr, Religious Freedom Project Ahmet Kuru, San Diego State University Anne Leahy, McGill University How Can Western Democracies’ Religious Freedom Policy Advance National and International Security? Moderator: Thomas Farr, Religious Freedom Project Panelists: Sue Breeze, U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Pasquale Ferrara, European University Institute Nilay Saiya, SUNY Brockport Monica Toft, Oxford University Keynote Address: U.S. Religious Freedom Policy: What Lessons Should Other Western Democracies Learn from It? David Saperstein, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom 4 BERKLEY CENTER FOR RELIGION, PEACE & WORLD AFFAIRS AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROJECT — OCTOBER 2015 Keynote Address: Toward a New Paradigm on Religion and Modernity THOMAS FARR: On behalf of the Religious Freedom Project, The Religious Freedom Project has three basic premises—al- welcome to the campus of Georgetown University on this beau- ways start with three, especially if you’re a Trinitarian like I am. tiful fall morning. I want to thank Fabio Petito and the British [Laughter] First, religious freedom is important for individuals Council; Dennis Hoover and the Institute for Global Engage- and for societies for a whole host of reasons, many of which we ment; The Review of Faith & International Affairs, of which Den- will talk about today. For example, we believe human beings nis is the editor; my old friend and colleague, Cole Durham, are, by their nature, truth seekers. They naturally want to know and his International Center for Law and Religion Studies at the answers to the questions about the source of their being, the Brigham Young University; Walter Mead of Bard College and order of reality, and why they’re here. Is there something after editor of American Interest; and of course, the great Peter Berger death? No one can live a fully human life if they are not free and the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs at Bos- to pursue these questions and to order their lives in accordance ton University, directed by Robert Hefner. I’m grateful to all of with the answers that they discover. you and our other co-sponsors as well. Religious freedom has social consequences as well; it’s not just Let me say a word about the Religious Freedom Project here at important to individuals. It’s highly correlated with other so- Georgetown and

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